Fans of the One Punch Man are getting used to waiting for longer durations. When the first season launched back in October 2015, the character of Saitama took over the anime world with a storm. However, for the past two years, there has been no news of the show at all. Fans are constantly demanding the renewal of One Punch Man Season 3. So, what happened to the franchise? Is Season 3 still happening? Here is all you need to know about it.
One Punch Man is easily one of the biggest franchises of the anime world. It was originally released as a webcomic in the year 2009, and ONE was the creator of the story. Later in 2015, Studio Madhouse produced the first season of the anime adaptation. However, it took four years for the anime to be renewed for the second season. This is because of the change of studio and director of the project. Two years have gone by since that shift, and the third season has still not come out.
One Punch Man Season 3: Renewal Status
For the time being, there has been no official confirmation of the third season of One Punch Man. The final episode of the series aired on July 2, 2019. Since then, the makers have stayed away from the public eye. However, there has been no official word on the cancellation of the series either. Thus, it is safe to say that One Punch Man Season 3 is yet to be renewed. The series has garnered much love and attention over the years, not only from fans but critics as well. The IMDb rating of the first two seasons of One Punch Man is 8.8 out of 10.
Moreover, the show has been rated 8.53 stars on MyAnimeList. Even though the second season faced divided criticism over some animation choices, the show still remains a highly anticipated banner. Thus, it is only a matter of time before the third installment seeks renewal.
What Will Be The Plot?
Most episodes of the first two seasons of OPM indulge in individual battles of Saitama with inter terrestrial beings. However, in the second half of the second season, the story entered the serious side of the plot. The final episode of Season 2 marked the beginning of the Monster Association Arc for the story. The Saga of Monster Association itself is so vast that the season ended way before reaching the conclusion of the plotline. The second season ended with an intense battle between Garou and Bang.
At first, Garou managed to handle the fight on his own. However, the chore ran out his hand as soon as Bomb entered the fight. The finale episode showcased this two-against-one fight at its best. The episode ended with Bomb attacking the Whirlwind Iron Cutting Fist over Garou. In the next season, the same arc would move forward with different monsters and aliens. For a long while, fans might not meet Saitama, and the usual loss as the Monster Association Arc focuses more on building the evil side.
The first few episodes will continue the battles in the monster world. Later, fans can expect to see Saitama’s battle with the Elder Centipede. It will be when the King and his men fight the giant monster that Saitama will re-enter the battle arena and display the power of his punch. In fact, fans can also expect to explore more about Lord Orochi in the next season. The ultimate villain of the series never really came to the screens for longer than a few moments. Thus, the real head of the Monster Association might also make an appearance in One Punch Man Season 3.
Is There Enough Source Material To Adapt?
The first two seasons of OPM have a combined of twenty-four episodes in total. As compared to the manga, the pacing of the anime has been faster than the source material. So, the two seasons have been covered till the 83rd chapter of the manga. This includes the chapter named “The Cruel Staircase.” Thus, the next season will begin adaptation from Chapter 84 forward, which is “Escalation.” The ongoing manga currently has published twenty-three volumes, with the last one due next month. Moreover, 150 chapters have already come out in the public domain.
Thus, it is safe to say that One Punch Man anime has plenty of source material to adapt for the third season. In fact, if one season takes roughly around forty chapters to adapt, then the manga can provide enough material for more than three seasons. But it should also be noted that the OPM manga has been following an extremely tedious schedule lately. The release of new chapters has become less favorable over the years, and fans fear that the manga might come to an end.
Is One Punch Man Manga Ending?
This question has become so prevalent over the years because of the untimely schedule of the manga. Over the years, the release of chapters and volumes of One Punch Man has become less and less timely. This has resulted in many interviewers asking ONE about the end of the manga. The author has not stamped any of these rumors to be true, Yet, there are many trustable sources that suggest that the end is nearing the One Punch Man manga. New portals and dependable subreddits have speculated that the 25th volume might be the final edition to the manga.
The steadily increasing pace of the story and cut-short plotlines are also pointing towards the same. Thus, it can be assumed that author ONE is considering ending the manga very soon. But there is still a long time before the final chapter arrives since the manga takes around two months to release one chapter.
One Punch Man Season 3: Release Date
As of now, there is no official release date for One Punch Man Season 3. The previous season said goodbye to the fans in July 2019. The two years of wait are still considerably low as compared to the hiatus between the first two seasons. The second season arrived four years after the pilot edition as the entire team and worked transferred to a different studio. Even then, the show faced criticism. Now, fans are demanding yet another studio change in light of the complex animation of the second installment.
This transfer will only cost a lot of time and money to the licenser once again. Thus, fans should consider a longer break before the third season makes it to the floors. Even if the show’s production begins next year, the third season will not debut till the Winter 2023 slate. Thus, fans should keep their expectations low. Keep an eye on this corner for more updates.
